Footy and badminton

My turn to take the boys (Bea and Vincent) for the Thursday picnic football lunch. Hot again, so they spent more time eating ice cream than playing ball—but we did play (I lost again). Here they both are up the tree in the Kindergarten courtyard just before going back for the afternoon session. Had another attempt at Badminton with Bea this afternoon on his own in the Hof, and he really got into the swing of it! We had lots of fun!

Oasis in the City

Beautiful and hot again today! There's been lots of water activities for the children in the Hof in the afternoons, and Bea and friends were dipping in and out of the very chilly fountain, filling up the bigger boys water pistols (a proper pecking order), and we played badminton which is not that easy with five- and six-year-olds who spend more time considering how many points they have, rather than hitting anything with their rackets. After piano we called in on Theodore (Bea's friend) on their new allotment, and I was so very very jealous—they have a real little oasis in the city and not far from here, complete with a lovely little hedgehog house. If ours was like that, I'd be digging all day!

School trip

The entire Scherr School had a day trip today in beautiful weather, and all classes including Bea's Kindergarden descended via various routes (precision Swiss organisation!) upon an old roman ruin near a local lake at Pfäffikon. In the pic is Bea (center) with the little girl he looks after in the group. He came back fairly chirpy, and not as exhausted as last year's hike.

Sechseläuten holiday

It was the annual Zürich holiday today celebrating the end of winter (appropriately timed in this crazy heatwave) so school and work were out. For the first time, we took the children to watch the event that follows the huge street parade, the burning of the effigy of winter — a giant, explosive-filled snowman — by the lakeside. Somehow we lost our friends in the packed crowd, and waited like sardines for what is essentially a very bizarre tradition. Ili fell asleep waiting (can't blame her), and Bea was freaked out by the explosives when they started, nearly half an hour after they'd lit the bonfire. Something you only do once.

Party revelling and roof slumbering

Bea headed out to a birthday party today, and we didn't move a inch and stayed put at home and roasted on the roof.

We've been waiting. . . .

Ah, now I understand. There isn't to be a Spring this year, we've gone straight from winter into summer. Those endless grey days are behind us. . .

First trip to the allotment

Our veggie garden hasn't been touched since we moved house last October — which kinda got in the way— then the winter chill kicked in.  But we couldn't avoid it any longer and got our backs into some digging today. Our friends on the neighbouring plot were there with little Emily, so the girls were happy. Bea entertained himself with snail, and worm races — very cute.

Ili and her drawing

Ili already loves going to see Bettina for her 'language help', and again they were very creative in her Atelier (studio) this morning, and this time came she home with a cute painted wooden cat. They say girls can often be faster at drawing, and she definitely puts more time into drawing than Bea did at three years of age. Here's a little pic from this week (done at home) of a house, tree, person, and a meticulously crafted row of flowers. Bettina said she's starting to speak more Swiss-German, so it's all good.

Teacher meeting

Most of today was spend head down, racing around in the freezing rain shipping children around on the bike(s). Music and singing with Ili this morning — which as usual was lovely — and then we had an appointment with Bea's teacher to discuss general progress (children went to lunch with friends). All was good, and she wishes all could be like him, but she thinks he needs to toughen up a little, and stand his ground with the more forceful children and not be so nice! An interesting take-home message! It was Papa vs. the Hof at footy tonight. Very funny, and Bea loved it (Ili and I watched from the window — sorry, awful piccy).

How much!

Not being a lover of shopping, we've managed to somehow be in the new apartment now for over six months and still be lacking a few homely items. So, I mustered up the courage to hit the city today, with Ili in tow to help cause havoc and raise eyebrows. Didn't buy a sausage — this chaise longue was 14,000 CHF — but have taken a good few pics so we can make this standing lamp (swish Danish design) and save 800 CHF (in theory at least!). 

Visit to the Observatory (Urania Sternwart)

Once a month the Observatory in Zurich opens its doors to children from six-years-old to view the telescope, and when the weather is favourable, view stars. Venus I think the astronomer said was easily visible with a telescope in the daytime, but it was in Swiss-German so he could have been talking about Uranus. As it's a building we can see from the house, it seemed appropriate to see if we could see the house from the observatory — we could — but despite his efforts, we couldn't see papa frantically waving from the window (Dayglo was needed). The talk was long, his telescope even longer (like something from Star Wars), but all interesting enough to keep the children engaged for nearly an hour. Seeing the roof open up, and twist around was cool (for the kids at least) but not a twinkle in sight. We'll have to go back on a clear day.

Thursday footy lunch

Ili went back to Bettina's studio for her second language session this morning, and they painted again together. Bettina said she was using the language when she needed to, and she understood. She's singing a lot in her own language that has snippets of German words, or German-sounding words, but in essence sounds like someone impersonating a foreign language. I remember Bea doing this — and it seems to be their way of practicing what they are hearing, and similar to prelinguistic babbling that children do when learning a first language. I took Bea and Vincent out for a pizza picnic lunch today before they returned to afternoon Kindergarten, and together they thrashed me 10-4 at football which pleased them immensely. And I ran my socks off too! Invited Zinnia over for dinner tonight (I thought Bea needed some nice comforting friendship after yesterday's rough play).

Kicks and keys

It was one of those days for Bea. He had friends around after lunch and ended up getting hurt from a kick (accidental, apparently), and then while playing hockey out in the Hof, he was in goal and received a ball to the face (nice rosy check, but luckily not the eye). On the plus side, he was told by his piano teacher that the new piece he started today — one of the more complicated in his book — was played without trouble, and played very well indeed. We've agreed (Frau Sulliman and I) that he'll also do the next term of piano (after the Summer holidays).

Vienna: Spanish Horse School

Final stop: Vienna

We've almost forgotten what papa looks like he's away so often at the moment for conferences and fieldwork. Now he's in Vienna. Here's a pic he sent of himself walking the streets there (nice hat); one of a beautifully adorned religious Viennese building; and a cathedral. It's the last conference for a while at least.

Good game, good game

Bea and Ili were out swimming again this morning to the warm waters of Zurich Thermal Bad (with the rooftop pool overlooking the city), and apparently it was lovely (apart from the near fight papa got into over a chocolate muffin in the café. Oh dear). The afternoon was a relaxing end to the holiday weekend, and in a rare moment of sunshine we grabbed some warmth on the roof terrace. Bea had us playing round after round of his favourite game of the moment — Uno! — and he plays to WIN!